LOCATION BASSEL CO
Established Series
Rev. LC/TWH
03/2023
BASSEL SERIES
The Bassel series consists of deep, well drained soils that formed in slope alluvium derived from sandstone and/or conglomerate. Bassel soils are on hills and mountains. Slopes range from 10 to 55 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 381 mm (15 inches) and the mean annual temperature is about 2.8 degrees C. (37 degrees F)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive Ustic Argicryolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Bassel very gravelly sandy loam, on a west facing, 20 percent slope in grassland at an elevation of 2880 meters (9450 feet). (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted.) Described on August 10, 1983.
A--0 to 10 cm (0 to 4 inches); brown (10YR 5/3) very gravelly sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine granular structure; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; 35 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 6.6); abrupt smooth boundary. (10 to 25 cm thick)
Bt1--10 to 23 cm (4 to 9 inches); brown (10YR 4/3) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark brown (10YR 3/3) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, moderately sticky and nonplastic; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 40 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); abrupt smooth boundary.
Bt2--23 to 36 cm (9 to 14 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; hard, firm, moderately sticky and slightly plastic; common faint clay films on faces of peds; 45 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.
Bt3--36 to 56 cm (14 to 22 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) very gravelly sandy clay loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 45 percent gravel, 10 percent cobbles; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 38 to 64 cm)
Bk1--56 to 91 cm (22 to 36 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) very gravelly sandy loam, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine carbonate masses on bottom of rock fragments; 40 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary.
Bk2--91 to 112 cm (36 to 44 inches); brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand, dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/6) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine carbonate masses on bottom of rock fragments; 60 percent gravel, 5 percent cobbles; slightly alkaline (pH 7.4); clear smooth boundary. (combined thickness of the Bk horizons is 40 to 70 cm)
Cr--112 to 137 cm (44 to 54 inches); moderately cemented conglomerate.
TYPE LOCATION: Park County, Colorado; about 14 kilometers (9 miles) north of Hartsel; located about 1,600 feet north and 2,400 feet west of the southeast corner of section 29, T. 10 S., R. 75 W.; Elkhorn USGS quad; lat. 39 degrees 8 minutes 46 seconds N. and long. 105 degrees 47 minutes 46 seconds W., NAD 1983
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Soil moisture: The soil moisture control section is usually dry in some part in early summer, moist in some or all parts in late July and August, and intermittently dry in fall; ustic regime.
Mean annual soil temperature: 2.8 to 5.0 degrees C (37 to 41 degrees F)
Mean summer soil temperature: 10.6 to 14.4 degrees C (51 to 58 degrees F)
Depth to paralithic contact: 102 to 152 cm to conglomerate (40 to 60 inches)
Depth to argillic horizon: 23 to 30 cm (9 to 12 inches)
Depth to secondary calcium carbonate: 56 to 91 cm (22 to 36 inches)
Thickness of the mollic epipedon: 23 to 30 cm (9 to 12 inches)
Lithology of rock fragments: sandstone, conglomerate
Particle-size control section (weighted averages):
Clay content: 23 to 28 percent
Rock fragment content: 40 to 50 percent
A horizon
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Clay content: 15 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 60 percent
Gravel content: 35 to 55 percent, indurated
Cobble content: 0 to 5 percent, indurated
Reaction: neutral (pH 6.6 to 7.3)
Organic matter content: 2.0 to 4.0 percent
Bt horizons, upper part
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR
Value: 4 or 5 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 2 or 3 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 60 percent
Gravel content: 35 to 55 percent, indurated
Cobble content: 0 to 5 percent, indurated
Organic matter content: 2.0 to 4.0 percent
Bt horizons, lower part
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Clay content: 20 to 30 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 60 percent
Gravel content: 35 to 55 percent, indurated
Cobble content: 0 to 10 percent, indurated
Bk horizons
Hue: 7.5YR, 10YR, 2.5Y
Value: 4 to 6 dry; 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 4 to 6 dry; 4 to 6 moist
Texture: very gravelly sandy loam, extremely gravelly loamy coarse sand
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragment content: 35 to 80 percent
Gravel content: 35 to 75 percent, indurated
Cobble content: 0 to 5 percent, indurated
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 1 to 3 percent
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Blaine,
Bowen,
Fingerrock,
Fornor,
Fourmile,
Geertsen,
Hoodle,
Hungryhill,
Lagarita,
Lambe,
Libeg,
Nathale,
Nathrop,
Norriston,
Quander,
Ratiopeak,
Silverheels,
Spanpeak, and
Woodhall series.
Blaine,
Bowen,
Hungryhill,
Nathale,
Nathrop, and
Woodhall soils are moderately deep.
Fingerrock,
Fornor,
Fourmile,
Hoodle,
Lagarita,
Lambe,
Libeg,
Quander,
Ratiopeak,
Silverheels, and
Spanpeak soils do not have a paralithic contact.
Geertsen has a udic soil moisture regime.
Norriston does not have secondary carbonates.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Parent material: slope alluvium derived from sandstone and/or conglomerate
Landform: hills, mountains
Slopes: 10 to 55 percent
Elevation: 2774 to 3018 meters (9100 to 9900 feet)
Mean annual temperature: 1.7 to 3.9 degrees C (35 to 39 degrees F)
Mean annual precipitation: 356 to 406 cm (14 to 16 inches)
Precipitation pattern: Monthly precipitation is lowest in winter and greatest in July and August.
Frost-free period: 50 to 80 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: This is the
Bushpark series. The Bushpark soils are shallow.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderate permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used for livestock grazing and wildlife habitat. Native vegetation consists mainly of Arizona fescue, mountain muhly, Parry's oatgrass, prairie Junegrass, blue grama, western wheatgrass, and slimstem muhly.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Central Colorado; LRR E, MLRA 48A; moderate extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Park County, Colorado, Teller-Park soil survey area, Colorado, 2010. The Bassel series name was reactivated in 2009 for use in the Teller-Park soil survey. The name is coined. This series was originally established in 1959 in Chaffee County, Colorado. In the Trout Creek Watershed Area, which is now a part of the soil survey of Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Northern Part.
REMARKS:
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Series control section: The zone from 0 to 137 cm.
Particle-size control section: The zone from 10 to 56 cm. (the whole argillic horizon)
Mollic epipedon: from 0 to 23 cm. (A, Bt1 horizons)
Argillic horizon: from 10 to 56 cm. (Bt1, Bt2, Bt3 horizons)
Secondary carbonates: from 56 to 112 cm. (Bk1, Bk2 horizons)
Paralithic contact: The contact with conglomerate at 112 cm. (Cr layer)
The assignment of the cation-exchange activity class is inferred from lab data from similar soils in the surrounding area.
Taxonomic Version: Classified according to Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 11th Edition, 2010.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.